This may seem like a strange idea to you, but a plastic bag is one of the most perfect exhibition gifts you could ever purchase for your company. There are many advantages to the plastic bag, which you can purchase along with other exhibition gifts online. Here are just a few of the main reasons you should consider purchasing bags for your next exhibition booth:

•Practical Use: At exhibitions, dozens—and in some cases, hundreds—of companies have booths and are distributing gifts, literature, and business cards. After hitting only a few of these tables, the exhibition-goers will have their hands full of items, or be trying to cram things into purses and backpacks. If you provide a bag, the people at the exhibition will naturally stop at your booth because it is finally something they can use then and there. Keyrings and pens might be great for later, but carrying things around at an event can get ugly without a bag.

•Cost: The plastic bags sold online are cheap. In fact, so cheap that they’re sold in quantities of 1000 just to make it worth you while to purchase them! For a few pence, you can hand out a personalized item that will do the same advertising job as more expensive items.

•Advertising Worth: You may think that an item like a bag won’t be as effective when it comes to advertising your business, but this personalized exhibition gift is actually great at embedding your name and logo in a person’s mind more quickly than pencils or bottle openers. Why? Most people like to take home only a fraction of what they’ve collected at an exhibition. That means when they get back to their hotel room, they’ll throw out any business information they aren’t 100% sure they’ll use, and even most of the gifts (or, those gifts because presents for kids when they get home from the business trip). However, they’ll still need something to carry home all of their goodies, so they’ll keep your bag. And, if most people are like me, it takes at least a few days to sort through the exhibition gear, so your bag will be sitting on the person’s desk, logo name and all, advertising to potential customers.

•Transport: Heave metal key rings can be expensive, and pencils are only really effective if you take the time to sharpen them. In fact, most exhibition gifts are heavy, breakable, or bulky, so if you’re flying to an exhibition, they can be cumbersome to transport. Plastic bags are lightweight and easy to pack into compact boxes. There’s no need to pre-stuff them if you have other gifts, either—simply do so as you’re talking to the person at the exhibition. This will keep you busy so you’re not just standing there.

•Conversation Point: When there is a steady flow of traffic past your booth, it can be difficult to convince a person to stop so that you can talk to them. At every booth, someone is trying to draw them in asking them how they are. Instead, start off with, “Your hands look full; could you use a bag?" As they stop to empty your arms, you can start your sales pitch.

Many companies never even consider bags when it comes to exhibition gifts, but this is a true misstep. If you want to make the most of an exhibition, consider ordering personalized bags for your company.